New Delhi: In a sweeping order, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that all FIRs registered across the country over student protests held between July 20 and 25 over NEET paper leak be treated as closed and not pursue…

New Delhi: In a sweeping order, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that all FIRs registered across the country over student protests held between July 20 and 25 over NEET paper leak be treated as closed and not pursued further, while also prohibiting any state or Union Territory from filing fresh cases related to those incidents.A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana invoked its special powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash the FIRs specified in applications by the Delhi Police, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Assam. The court extended the relief nationwide, citing the future of students who had participated in the protests in good faith. The only exception permitted is an FIR being pursued by Delhi Police against 2,873 individuals present at the Jantar Mantar protests who have serious criminal antecedents.CJP withdraws call for September 5 marchThe bench clarified that the order was passed in the peculiar facts of the case and would not serve as a precedent.The court recorded the statement of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that the Centre would formulate a policy within three months for compensation to families of students who died by suicide following the cancellation of the NEET-UG 2026 examination. It also noted the statement of Cockroach Janata Party co-convener Saurav Das withdrawing the protest march planned for September 5 in Delhi.Mehta submitted that the applications followed assurances given by the Central government to CJP leaders on July 25 that cases against protesters would be withdrawn and no further FIRs registered. Das, present in court, read out a statement confirming the withdrawal of the September 5 call in light of the government’s assurances and the court’s order.The directions come after the court, during an August 18 hearing, had expressed its inclination to quash the FIRs under Article 142, noting the legal complications in closing registered cases through routine procedures.

Source: Deccan Herald